Acting CJN asked to look into ‘partisanship by tribunal judges’

There has been a call on Muhammad Tanko, acting chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), not to toy with reports of unholy alliance between some PDP chieftains and the tribunal panelists.

An Abuja-based human rights defender made the call while speaking  in his office in Abuja.

Joseph Ikpeme, the Akwa Ibom born prince, of The Social Reformers, decried the flagrantly and boisterous bragging of the PDP in securing favourable judgement in the ongoing Election Petition Tribunal across the country.

“The PDP officials boast that during it’s reign the PDP appointed more justices and going by the saying to whom much is given, much is expected. Its time for the judges to show them appreciation for the honour done them in the past,” he said.

A Senator elect under the PDP in a south-eastern state was quoted to have told his supporters who came to express their fears in the tribunal.”We were in power for 16 years and we were friendly to judges. During our reign no judge was dragged to court as is being done by this regime”.

The relationship which the PDP candidates have boasted is to be used to compromise the said justices to order the return of the PDP candidates or to uphold the decision of the Tribunal for reruns of all the elections.

“The suspicion of the PDP had been further reinforced by persistent claims by some leaders of the PDP, who have continued to insist that nothing will come out of the tribunal, “we have power and will do as we want.”

“We made it in Osun State,despite their victory in the polls, the Tribunal cancelled the election and declared our candidate winner.

“It has been boasted to my hearing by one of the PDP candidates that they have made payments running into 500 million Naira to ensure that the result of the appeals filed in this Tribunal panels end in favour of the PDP candidates.”

“Allowing PDP have their way in the inducement, influence peddling and pervasion of justice will lead to
miscarriage of justice and possibly, loss of Confidence in the Corruption war of the President.

“As judicial watch guards, it is their role to ensure that as a court, the electioneering rules and guidelines are duly adhered to as the world watches and depends on the judiciary to ensure that the rule of law is strictly complied with in the country.”